Heat from Alentejo
by cold-crescent-moon
Summary: Dash/Danny. The movie didn't happen.
1. Chapter 1

Let's hope this one's a little better.  
Thanks for sticking around you guys.

*I don't own anything

* * *

How did this happen? One minute he was stumbling toward the bathroom – which was pretty straightforward enough – and the next minute he feels himself being pulled away somewhere discreet. The music thudded faintly through the wall, fingers gently threaded through his hair and pulled him further in. He could feel himself being pushed into the wall, heat emanating through the thin fabric while his hands grasped the other person's shirt.

He smelled like a Gin and Tonic, but very faintly.  
Too strong. He felt too strong and Danny could feel himself melting into him. A feeling of familiarity washed over him, but fearful doubt of not knowing the person gnawed at him at the same time.

_Just a peek._

Furrowed brows and messy blonde hair cropped short were all that came into his line of vision.

_Dash._

He was biting softly on his lower lip before sucking and pulling away, only to draw back in and slip back inside. Danny could only moan into the kiss, nearly letting himself go in the heat. It was too much. Panic, along with that heat started welling up inside of him. It was too much.

He had to leave.

'I, nm, I n-need to go'.

It wasn't a lie. He_ was_ on line for the bathroom.

Quickly making his way back somehow, and to his luck unoccupied, he swung the door shut behind him and turned the lock. God he was so dizzy. Dash Baxter? Really? Of all the people.  
Danny sat himself down, one hand covering his eyes and the other gripping his knee.

_It's just a party. He won't remember on Monday._

And he was right, it was Senior year, the last big party of the year, who'd remember? People get rowdy at house parties anyway – so what if Dash had something to drink and acted outlandishly, it was his house anyway.

_He's not going to remember anyway._

Flushing the toilet and hastily rinsing his hands, he stepped out and made a beeline for the door. Sam and Tuck were probably still in the kitchen shooting the breeze, he could text them later in the group chat saying he didn't feel too good and had to dip.

Dash wasn't anywhere in the living room where everyone else was.

Was he still in that back room?

_Don't think about it._

* * *

c:


	2. Chapter 2

*I don't own anything

* * *

It were as if nothing had happened. The weekend came and went as it usually did, and Danny found himself back at school.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

The only time he saw Dash was mostly in passing – the bullying had stopped during sophomore year, but the jock still had his moments. Regardless, it was nothing to really complain about.

'You're acting weird Danny, what's up'.

It was more of a statement than a question. The two of them were at their usual lunch table, and avoiding the statement-question wasn't looking like an option.

'It's, erm, it's nothing'.

She raised an eyebrow at him.'You left the party when you told us that you were just going to the bathroom. Something's up'.

He could only stare down at his food.

'Where's Tucker?'

'In the Library, don't change the subject'.He could feel the heat rise in his face; what was there to say?

'I, um, I might need some time to figure this out'.

Sam just looked at him before saying 'Well alright' and going back to her food. She wasn't going to press on the matter of whatever 'this' was.

'You know you can tell me anything'.

He couldn't help but smile. 'Yeah, thanks'.

Surprisingly, after what Sam had said, the day passed by rather quickly and without distractions. The last bell rung and students congregated around lockers.

'Did you guys wanna go to the Nasty Burger?' Danny asked, closing the locker door and swinging his backpack onto his shoulder.

'Mm, nah, I'm not really feeling it today. How about we check out that new burger joint at the mall? Plus, I wanna see if there's a new model for my PDA, and there's a salad bar in the burger spot so Sam can actually eat'.

'Aw Tuck, look at you being all sensitive to the feelings of others' Sam jokes, bumping his shoulder. The trio started making their way out.

'Did you find what you were looking for in the Library?' He asked, not out of any particular interest.

'No, but I did manage to print out my paper for English. On a completely different subject though, where'd you go last Saturday?'

Danny's fingers twitched.

'You said you weren't feeling too good – was it something you ate?' Tucker continued, not noticing the shift in Danny's demeanor.

'It wasn't that', he could feel sweat starting to form on his forehead.

'I asked him earlier Tuck, he just wasn't feeling too good' Sam cut in.

'Eh, okay, it was just … not like you since it was the only time Dash invited us to any big party'.

'Yeah, but with college starting this fall, we'll have more chances to get invites' Danny quipped, grateful for that little intervention on Sam's part. The trio chatted idly as they made way toward the mall.

This is nice, Danny couldn't help but feel a little relieved with this kind of normalcy; since the incident on Saturday, he was stewing in anxiety with a kind of guilt that didn't belong to him.

The weather was too nice to be spoiled by things like that – a drunken kiss happens to everyone at least once at some point. It would be better to just forget.

Just forget.

2 burgers and a large kale salad later, the trio walked over from the food court to Tuck's favourite store.

'I actually might be a while', Tuck said looking off to the side and a hand on the back of his neck. 'I don't wanna bore you guys, so maybe you could, uh, go window shopping or something?'.

Danny and Sam were both aware of the fact that there was no new PDA model, and that there was also a girl who worked the counter whom Tucker was interested in. This was an obvious cue.

'That actually works since I need to grab a new pair of pants. Text the group chat when you're done! We'll come get you' Danny said, waving as he and Sam walked over to the clothing outlet.

'Do you actually need pants?'

'Surprisingly, I do.'

'Do you think he has a shot?'

Chuckles from the both of them. 'Well, she hasn't shot him down yet, has she?' Danny said.

'Oh hey, they have a fall clearance from last year, I'm gonna look for anything good-' 'you mean goth.' 'Oh please Danny, of course. Give me a shout when you're done!'

Having been left to his own devices, he made way aimlessly through the racks. Nothing too crazy, just a pair of jeans should be fine. Socks? Did he need socks? Maybe, a handful of his had holes in the heels and toes so it'd probably be best if he grabbed a few new pairs.

$60?

Danny scrunched his face and took a closer look at the pants. How come? What made this so expensive? And since when did ripped jeans become so pricey? Scoffing at the outlandishness, he turned around to head over to the sale rack.

'Oomf! Oh, I'm sorry – '

Oh.

A pair of blue eyes looked down at him, equally surprised.

'Fentoad'.

* * *

Lots of dialogue. Bear with me while I still get back into the groove of writing.


	3. Chapter 3

*I don't own anything

* * *

'You okay man?'

Kwan clapped his shoulder, trying to get his friend to look at him in the eye. 'I got worried – you just disappeared for like, 20 minutes. What were you doing in the back?'.

Dash felt his throat tighten. 'Kwan, I think I fucked up'.

'What do you mean?'

The jock could only stare down at the floor, hands turning into loose fists.

'I might've, kissed Fenton'.

A light chuckle. 'Well, it's about time, don't you think?' Kwan said lightly, guiding his friend over to a chair. Music thudded through the walls and chatter from the main room could be heard. Dash could only furrow his brows at the reaction.

'Hey, c'mon. Why else would you pick on Fenton that much? I always guessed that there was a part of you that kind of liked him' Kwan said. There was always something about him that was a little different from the other guys on the team. A kind of sensitivity maybe?

'W, uh, wait hold on' Dash pinched the bridge of his nose. 'None of that makes sense'.

Kwan gave a shrug, seemingly not that worried. 'Liquid courage, as they say'. Half serious and half joking. The blonde groaned.

'What am I gonna do on Monday?'

'Play it cool'.

* * *

He hadn't said anything. Albeit, he did see the scrawnier kid in the halls, but that was about it. No ugly confrontation, no threats, nothing. The entire ordeal came as a bit of a surprise, as well as the feeling of disappointment in himself, but maybe Fenton didn't remember?

'He hasn't said anything? Huh, maybe Fenton doesn't remember' Kwan said as he put away his things.

'That's what I thought too, but I dunno, Fenton wasn't at the party by the time we got back'. Dash said, furrowing his eyebrows again.

'Hey man, I wouldn't stress it too much. I'm sure if you talked about it it'd be fine'.

'I don't think I can just waltz up to him and be like 'Hey Fentoad, remember last weekend? Funny huh?'' Dash said, gritting his teeth and more upset with himself than at the situation.

'Hey, I need to grab some stuff at the Mall, my mom's taking my sister and me on a trip and I need to buy a new outfit'.

'You need new clothes for a trip?'

'C'mon, my mom says I need to look presentable no matter what'. Kwan retorted.

'Alright alright, let's go'.

The two chatted as they headed over to the shopping centre. Kwan was the easiest to talk to – it had always been that way.

'What did you mean 'it's about time'?'

The darker haired boy quirked an eyebrow at him. 'What?'

'C'mon. At the party, when you came to get me and I told you about the thing, and then you said something like 'well it's about time'. I don't really get it.'

A shrug from the other. 'I mean, I just got the feeling you liked him. But, like, it was still kind of a grey area for you. So instead of being mature like an adult, you decided to be a dick to him' Kwan said with a playful grin.

'Oh c'mon! It was only during freshman year!'

'Are you sure about that? Because I still saw you wailing on him on a couple of occasions, like when you got that F in chemistry during sophomore year'. He said, an eyebrow quirked. Dash waved it off.

'So, where're we going anyway?'

'I was thinking about that place' Kwan said, pointing over to the store across the food court. 'They've got some really nice slacks on sale'.

'_Slacks?'_

_'_Hey, they're comfortable and not too casual' Kwan said, the same grin on his face. 'Help me pick something out!'

The two shuffled their way into the clothing store, Dash already bored out of his mind. His friend was always conscientious of what he wore, whereas Dash couldn't be bothered at all – as long as it was clean and wearable, what was the problem?

It wasn't even two minutes before Dash could feel his mind slipping into another dimension. Slim fit? Boot cut? It's just pants.

'Hey, I'm gonna look over there.'

'What, the other pants section? Those aren't even on sale' Kwan quipped.

'I'm not gonna buy anything'.

Brushing off his friend's comment about 'a lack of sophistication', he started wandering around. _Christ this is boring._ _Maybe I should just wait at the food court? Yeah that's probably better. _Dash pulled out his phone to text Kwan when he felt someone bump into him.

'_Oomf_! Oh, I'm sorry –'

_Oh._

_'_Fentoad'.

The nickname fell out of his mouth without his thinking. Immediately, visible heat spread on the shorter teen's face. Dash could feel a slight grin pull at the corner of his mouth.

'What're _you_ doing here?' He took a step closer. Danny took one back.

'I'm, uh, Sam. I'm waiting for Sam'. Danny stumbled over his words.

Another step.

'Did you like the party?'

They were slowly making their way further into the back of the store.

'I-It was okay'.

Danny could feel his fingers twitching, and for a brief moment they brushed against a set of thick curtains. The two had traversed into the fitting room section.

'You kinda disappeared, did something happen Fenton?' Dash asked casually, taking another step forward and having the shorter teen step into the vacant fitting room. A small sardonic smile played on his lips as he watched Danny look for the right thing to say.

'I, uh, well after that _thing_, y'know. I just, uh –'

'Left?' Dash asked with a raised eyebrow. He leaned further in, slowly closing the space between them. 'If something happened, you should've told me'.

He was so _close_, Danny could feel Dash's lips ghostly over his. He averted his eyes.

'Nothing happened' He said quietly.

'Huh, that so?' Dash was still on top of him. 'I think this's how it happened'.

Dash's lips were slightly chapped, soft nonetheless, and in an instant Danny's guard fell. The taller teen could feel Danny sighing into him, the space between them completely closed and his smaller frame leaning in. A perfect fit. Dash could feel a slow heat, like sunlight on a late afternoon overtaking him. The back of his neck felt warm and sweat rolled down his back as he gently pried open Danny's lips with his tongue.

Soft, so soft. A groan passed through Danny as the taller boy threaded his fingers into his hair, gently tangling into him before moving down onto the base of his neck and firmly keeping him in place.

He let Danny go.

It happened so suddenly when Dash pulled away that Danny gave a sort of a half stumble when it occurred.

'Wh-'

'I need to get back to Kwan'.

And with that the taller teen swiftly walked away.

* * *

Hey guys, good to see you again.


	4. Slow Dancing in the Dark

I don't own anything

* * *

He just wanted to slow dance with him.

Without any explanation for the feelings that rose in him like the tides at night, the only sensible way to crush those feelings were through general violence. Not that he was terribly violent, but bullying was a way to keep the waves from crashing too hard.

Plus, being the star quarterback meant that he could get away scot–free no matter what; with the scrawnier teen hardly fighting back most of the time – albeit a quip here and there – Dash could do anything to keep himself from looking too deeply. A push or shove was already enough skin ship for Dash to keep himself at bay, so why go any further?

'Dash, what's wrong?'

The blonde shook it off, bringing himself back. 'Nothin', sorry'.

Paulina giggled, giving his hand a gentle squeeze as they swayed to the music.

'You wanted to go to the dance with someone else, didn't you?' A small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. 'And that someone is sitting right over there on the bleachers with his Techno friend'.

A sigh – how was she so keen?

'You really should just ask him, it's only a dance', the song was coming to an end. 'And if he says no, it won't be the end of the world', the two came to a gentle stop, the band was whispering amongst themselves. 'At the very least, it'll only _feel_ like the end of the world' she teased, gently pulling herself from the jock. Placing a gloved hand on the back of his shoulder, she led the pair of them towards the bleachers. Keen as she usually was, Sam, who had come back from the bathroom, saw them approach.

'What do you want Paulina?' Sam narrowed her eyes, purely out of habitual skepticism, the other girl simply waved it off completely unfazed.

'Oh please, don't get like that. And besides, it's the last dance of the year, no need to be so guarded'.

'A little hard to believe'. Sam said with a shrug.

'And besides, _I'm_ not the one looking for trouble' Paulina bumped her shoulder against Dash's arm.

A grey suit, white button up, dress shoes. Danny was modestly dressed, as per usual, but _especially_ in comparison to the quarterback with his dark navy English cut suit. _'You need at least one good suit'_ as his father had said when they were looking for something together.

'Dash, if you're looking to wail on someone, can it _not_ be me for once?' Danny said, looking beyond tired. He could feel sweat rolling down his back as that crashing sensation welled up in him, why was it so hard to just _talk_ to him?

'Dance with me'.

It came out suddenly, rushed and clumsy. Before anyone could react Dash grabbed the shocked Fenton by the wrist and pulled him onto the dance floor.

'... Did that really happen?' Tucker asked, staring after them. Sam crossed her arms.

'Paulina, if this is some sort of joke or prank, it's not funny'.

'Oh please, we're not freshmen anymore. And besides, this is probably the only chance Dash will get' she said, gathering her hair onto one side. A wink. 'See you guys later'.

'What'd you think she meant by 'the only chance he'll get'?' Tucker asked as soon as they were out of earshot. A shrug.

'I don't know', she said with her arms still crossed. 'But he better not do anything stupid to Danny'.

* * *

Danny could feel Dash's hands firmly planted on his waist, keeping him from running off. Oddly enough, they were swaying like nothing was wrong, as well as those around them. No one had paid them any mind.

Danny cleared his throat. 'Erm, so, uh. Hey?'

Dash didn't say anything, but the two were close to the point where Danny was more or less peering over the blonde's shoulder. Instinctively, Danny found his hands resting on Dash's shoulders like it was the most natural thing to do.

'. . . Dash?'

The halfa could feel the jock's chest swell as he took a deep breath.

'I'm sorry'.

It came out so quietly that Danny wasn't sure if he imagined it. Maybe the exhaustion was getting to him.

'Uh, I don't think I totally get it.'

'Fenton,' Dash put some distance between them so that they were looking eye to eye. 'For, y'know, the stuff I did'.

Dash immediately closed the distance so that he didn't have to look at the shocked Danny. This was mortifyingly embarrassing.

A chuckle.

The quarterback could feel the smaller teen's shoulders shake with soft laughter. 'Dash, I wouldn't be so bent out of shape about it. And besides, it's not _like_ you to be sorry'.

Out of relief, Dash held him a little tighter. Danny wriggled a bit. 'You're holding me kinda close Dash'.

'Well duh, I can't have you running off on me – you've always been pretty good at that'.

There was no response from the shorter teen. Dash wasn't exactly sure if that was a relief or not, what kind of response _could_ he expect from Danny?

But what could anyone expect from a slow dance in the dark. This was probably the last chance they'd see each other before they both went away to college, and more or less Dash's last opportunity to come to terms with what he's been pushing down for the last four years.

'I didn't really think anything of it', Danny said. 'It's just high school stuff. You were never _really_ out to hurt anyone'.

Guilt coiled around the jock's heart.

'But hey, I never expected to get a dance with the Star Quarterback!' Danny continued, humour letting Dash ease up. He couldn't help but press his face closer to Danny's, lips right above his ear. The halfa wriggled at the sudden physical shift.

'Dash?'

'I like you'.

The words stumbled out through a choked breath, and before either of them knew it the song had ended and Dash quickly made away from him, leaving Danny standing slightly dumbfounded under the dim lights.

A hand grasped his.

'Danny!'

Sam pulled him back toward the bleachers. 'Danny?'

He blinked a few times, coming back from a few seconds ago. 'Oh, uh, hey'.

A squint. 'Danny, did Dash do anything weird to you? Tuck and I tried to keep an eye out, but we couldn't exactly see you guys'.

The words were registering, but Danny could only give a shrug. 'He just – we, uh, he just wanted to say sorry for wailing on us. And, well, he said he couldn't find the right timing? To say sorry I mean. If that makes sense?' Now _he_ was stumbling. A scoff was his response.

'I guess that makes sense, and with all the couples here no one would be paying much attention to who's dancing with who' Sam said, looking around.

There wasn't much longer til the end of the night, and despite that Danny couldn't find a trace of Dash anywhere. Maybe he left?

He could feel his face start to burn.

_Don't think too much into it, it was probably just a last minute prank,_ Danny thought quietly. He could still feel Dash's hands gripping his hips and how he had gently swayed with him. For a prank, it wasn't too bad.

* * *

Hey, I thought this would be a good exercise to do while I think about how I want to keep 'Heat from Alentejo' going. I didn't really think it out, so a drabble like this was probably good for me.

Please let me know what you think; I know I haven't been very active and I would like to apologise for that - lack in content is never really fun. But for those who _do_ enjoy this (so far), I just wanted to reach out and extend an invitation for any thoughts you might have.

Thank you for reading! And please stay safe during these times. Please get tested for covid if you haven't already!

CCM


	5. Chapter 4

I don't own anything.

I realise now that I should've given a heads up at the _beginning_ of the last chapter, instead of the end, that it was a drabble.

* * *

As Dash swiftly made his way out of the fitting room, Danny couldn't help but feel his knees buckle slightly. Without missing a beat, a salesclerk popped her head in.

'Are you finding everything alright?'

Danny could feel his ears burn. 'Y-Yeah, just a little dizzy.' It wasn't a lie, but the salesclerk beamed a smile as her eyes went in the direction that Dash had left and then darted back to Danny, surveying the changing room.

'Well, if there's anything that you'd like to try on, please let us know beforehand!'

Ah, she was suspecting theft, not foreplay. Having disappeared as quickly as she had appeared, Danny was again left alone behind the thick set of curtains, now halfway closed.  
Was that the reason why Dash had left (and so _abruptly_ at that)? Or was it coincidence? Danny shook his head; there was no use thinking about it now. Pulling himself together and shuffling past the curtains, he made his way towards the clearance rack.

It was quite the surprise to see Sam and Kwan bickering (?) over pants.

'Manson, you're like a cartoon character - you wear the _same_ thing almost everyday! Try something different for once!' Kwan said, pointing at the skirt in her hands. There was a hint of playfulness in his tone, but it only garnered a set of rolled eyes as a response.

'Says the guy buying _slacks_? Kwan, that's 'Dad Fashion™'

'Oh c'mon -'

'You're just gonna look like a guy a on a business trip!'

Softly, Danny cleared his throat, catching their collective attention.

'Fenton!'

'Danny!'

They had managed to call out in unison. Kwan held up the pants in question. 'Tell me it's not 'Dad Fashion™'.

He couldn't help but grin, looking at Sam and then back at Kwan. 'It's... I mean.'

'Oh c'mon!'

'Told you.' Sam said through a grin of her own. 'You said you were going away on a family trip, why not look a little more casual?' She held up cargo shorts, but Kwan only scrunched his face at the choice.  
After he was "Kicked-out" of the A-List group and got clumped in with Sam and Tuck, he became relatively casual with them, Danny included. Even after freshman year the jock was always pleasant.

'You're going somewhere?'

'Yeah'. Kwan put the pants back in the rack and started rummaging. 'After graduation, mom's taking my sister and me to Florida to go see dad'. Kwan stopped at another pair, but Sam shook her head 'no'. 'We haven't seen him since his job re-location, so it's gonna be fun!' Green eyes looked over at the shorter teen. 'Last weekend was pretty fun too!'

Like a thin needle, panic pricked and threaded into Danny.

'But you, like, just disappeared. You didn't get sick or anything, did you? Like, was it the alcohol?' Kwan asked, actually looking a little concerned.

Did he not know?

Danny couldn't help but scratch the back of his head, embarrassment replacing the initial panic. 'Yeah, I mean. Maybe I had a bit too much? I don't usually drink, so that could've been it'.

This, was actually true. With the tight turnarounds of ghost fighting and academic scheduling, there was hardly any time for Danny to really, _act, _like a teenager. Kwan broke out into a smile and clapped Danny on the shoulder.

'Hey no shame in that! I'm just glad you were okay.' Kwan really _was_ generally nice. 'Ah, hey I gotta go - can't keep Dash waiting on me forever.' The jock said after feeling his phone buzz. Grabbing the slacks that Sam disapproved of he quickly walked off.

'Dad Fashion™'

'I heard that Manson!' Laughter trailed after the sentence.

So, if Kwan _didn't_ know, the entire thing was just between him and Dash. Danny wasn't sure whether to feel relieved at the discretion, or nervous about the outcome should anyone find out.

* * *

His fingers drummed against the counter, the sound blending in with the murmur of daily life that passed by.

What the fuck was he doing. Dash let out an exasperated sigh, he could still feel Danny's hair between his fingers. The gentle curvature of his neck as his palm slide down, and the soft breath dancing between their lips.  
Earlier in the day he was kicking himself for pulling a stunt like that at the party, and now he was doing it _again_. In public, no less.

He leaned back a bit, the tall chair creaking under his weight. What _was_ it about Fenton that made him act like that? At least back in freshman year he picked on most of the dorks in his classes equally, but there was something about him _specifically_ that made Dash tick. With that in mind, it couldn't be social status (not at this point in the school year and grade). On top of that, Fenton never fought back. Despite how ugly it got sometimes, the scrawnier teen had never even tried to rat him out.

Something clicked.

Did he have a bit of control over Fenton?

'Hey man! Sorry for the wait.'  
Kwan's voice pulled him back into his surroundings. Kwan took the seat next to him.

'What took you?'

A sheepish grin. 'My bad - I ran into Manson and she started to grill me for having 'Dad Fashion™' '. He said, air quoting the last two words. 'I ran into Fenton too.'  
Dash only grumbled.

'Didn't even see you leave the store, did something happen?' He quipped, resisting the urge to add 'again' to the end of that sentence. They held eye contact for a brief moment before Dash turned away.

'He looked pretty flustered.'

Dash groaned and ran a hand down his face. He could practically _hear_ the grin in Kwan's voice.

'Look man, I'm not going to pry, but I honestly wouldn't push his buttons too much'. Fingers drummed against the counter. 'He's a nice guy, I don't think he'd be too weirded out if you just, y'know, asked to hang out'.

Kwan cracked open the water bottle he ordered - when did he get that? Regardless, it was frustrating how easily Kwan could read him, but it was only natural given the nature of their relationship. Knowing someone for _this_ long only meant that there'd be less you could get away with.

'Anyway, I gotta get home soon.' He said, capping the water bottle. They chatted for a few minutes before leaving.

'Tell your mom and sis I say hi'.

'Yeah dude, and stay out of trouble.'

A half hearted punch on the arm, followed by laughter.

* * *

'So, you're _still_ not going to tell me what happened?' Sam swung her bag lightly, back and forth between them. Danny gave a shrug.

'There isn't much to say, I just. I just couldn't be in that space.' Danny said, referencing last weekend. Despite the fact that either option terrified him, he opted for discretion. And besides, it's not like this was going to _go_ anywhere, and after senior year his chances of running into Dash were slim to none. Sam bumped her shoulder into his.

'Hey, I know I said that you can tell me anything - we're friends, and that'll never change. But y'know, when you don't tell me what's going on, I get worried. Especially when I can see that something's up.'

They were already in front of the electronics store, an awkward quiet fell between them.

'I'm not going to mention anything to Tucker, but he's bound to notice.' She looked over at him. 'But whatever happens, it'll be fine.'

It was relieving to hear that, Danny couldn't help but smile a little. 'Yeah, you're right. But this is something I want to try and figure out on my own before letting anyone in. I know it sounds like an excuse, but when it gets bad I'll-'. A hard swallow. 'I'll tell you.'

Sam's expression lightened up.

'Alright, that's fair. Now let's see what Tucker's been up to'.

* * *

Thank you for reading.


	6. Chapter 5

I don't own anything

* * *

It was starting to look like a lost cause.

Tucker was easily smitten, but this current interest had a vice grip on him.

'Why don't you just, ask her on a date?' She asked. It was free period and the trio decided to hang out in the cafeteria. Funny enough, the cafeteria became a nice, casual hang out area for most students by now. During their time at Casper High, and due to the Lunch Lady's almost _constant_ activity in the kitchen, the Fentons were actually brought in to consult the faculty and contractors in regard to setting up anti-ghost shields. It was a big project that took about a year and a half - the Fentons managed to start with the kitchen and cafeteria, but they had slowly started to move onto other parts of the school as a protective measure for the student body. Having been a government funded project, Maddie and Jack had made quite a revision in reputation for themselves.

'It's. I don't know, I think it's too early for that'. Tucker said, swirling the wooden stick in his coffee. The trio also managed to get small perks, like free coffee. A much needed drink for seniors.

'Tucker, she's pretty interested in you, what's keeping you from saying 'I really enjoy spending time with you, would you want to have dinner sometime?' Sam said, tearing a small corner in the sugar packet.

'It's not that simple'. A sip. 'I know that I have a chance, a slim one. But it's like, that fear of the unknown.' Tucker stared down at his open cup. 'Fear of rejection, fear of the relationship going sideways. Fear of the other person not being who you thought they were. Stuff like that.'

Sam crumpled the empty packet and blew on her own cup before drinking. 'I mean, doesn't everyone think that?'

Tucker gave her a look. 'Sam, it's not the same for you- you're cute, guys wanna go out with you. In comparison, it's just a little harder for someone like me to find someone who's on the same level. There's just a higher risk.' Tucker nudged Danny's foot with his. 'Dude, right?'

Danny had been tearing at a napkin corner, a small knot of dread coiling in his stomach. Everything that Tucker said was, actually, applicable to what was going on between him and Dash. The fear that lurked quietly in the corners and brushed past you when you least expected it, the one that made the 'what if-s?' dance in his head at night.

Having opted for a bottle of water, Danny took a quick swig before capping the bottle. 'I can see Sam's point, she really does seem to like you, but I'm inclined to agree with Tucker here'. Sam threw her hands up.

'I mean, it would just suck if the person you liked was an asshole or something. Basically a female Greggor for us.'

'Oh ugh, that guy was nuts.' Sam said under a grumble. 'I still think it wouldn't hurt to invite her to lunch one of these days, that's casual enough for it to _not_ be weird on the off-chance that she isn't into you'.

As if on cue, the bell rang. Everyone started to gather their things and head out for their next class.

'I'll see you guys later'. Sam waved as she made way for math, and Tucker as he headed toward the library, something to do with helping maintain the computers there. Danny swung his bag onto his shoulder and grabbed his water bottle, heading down to Lancer's class. English in the morning wasn't that great, but the English teacher hadn't been as strict this year which was a breath of relief for Danny.

Amidst the herd of other students, Danny hadn't noticed the blonde walking toward him from the other side of the hallway.

It was brief, but Dash had purposefully brushed his shoulder against Danny's in passing. He could feel his ears go red. Despite the lack of eye contact, Danny couldn't help but feel watched - it had already been a few days since that mall encounter. Nearly a week from the incident. The fact that nothing else had happened kept him slightly on edge.

Was it going to end there, just like that? Would there be any way of asking what _that_ was all about?

_Fear of the other person not being who you thought they were_

Tucker's words bounced back and forth.

Dash had revealed a side that was seldom on display. Would he get to see that side of the jock again?

* * *

'You seem super distracted Dash'. Paulina said, swirling her spoon in her yoghurt. The cafeteria clattered around them and chatter floated through sheets of sunlight that fell in through the tall windows. 'Are you going to tell me, or should I start playing the assumption game?'. A small grunt.

'No, no you're right.' Dash ran a hand through his hair. 'I just, there's something that's been bothering me for a while.' The thought of having some kind of control or influence over Fenton was a weird thought, but it _did_ kind of fit in with why he never fought back or anything. Dash blinked.

'Hey, can I ask you something?'

'Mm?'

'Paulina, you're pretty good at controling people, what's the worst you've done?'

Sanchez looked at him like he was crazy.

'Dash, what kind of question is _that_?' She asked with some offence. 'I don't "control people"' She said with a quirked eyebrow.

'No no, I mean-'

A giggle. 'Dash I'm teasing, I know what you mean'. A spoonful of yoghurt. 'Well, I mean, sometimes people are okay with doing me favours? I guess? It's not like I went out of my way to get someone to help me with homework or carry stuff for me.' She hmm'd, the spoon dangling from her fingers. 'But the _worst_ I've done was getting Mikey to write most of my English papers for me. Why? Are you trying to hypnotise someone?' She asked with a smile tugging at her lips and leaning in. The blonde gave a hard swallow.

'It's not like that', he started. 'I was just, um, was watching something on t.v. the other day. Y'know, when someone's pressuring the other person into doing something and the person's like, 'fine ok' - stuff like that. I just, it just, reminded me of you and how you had a knack for that. Getting favours like that.'

What a poorly constructed lie.

A look of confusion passed over Paulina's eyes, followed by something that Dash couldn't place.

'... Huh, so.' Sanchez clacked her nails against the table. 'You saw something on t.v that reminded you of me?' Dash nodded, earning him a smile. 'Oh Dash, you cutie, what show is this?' She reached over and gave his hand a light squeeze.

'Look, I know things didn't really work out between us, but it's super nice that we can talk so casually like this.' She said, a grin brimming. 'I thought it would be, like, super weird between us for forever, but look at you now- seeing me in characters on t.v.!'

The blonde couldn't help but crack a smile at her. Despite the assumed reputation she had, Paulina was actually nice when it came down to it. With a cop for a dad, it was only natural that she came off as a bit standoffish or cold, but deep down, like everyone else, there was a gentleness to her. It just took time.

'Hey'.

He looked up. 'Huh?'

'Watch my bag, I need to go pee.'

The girl got up and left. Time seemed to blur in front of him - Paulina came back, shot the breeze about her and Mikey doing _something_ about English papers for the freshmen and then _boom_, the bell rang.

'Ugh, I need to get to Math.' Paulina said with a grimace. Despite her bilingual ability, Math was one thing that seemed to stump her no matter which language.

'I'll see you after school? If you, like, don't cut class.' She said with a sardonic tone. He couldn't help but grin at her.

'Fine, if I _don't_ cut class, I'll buy you a burger?'

Sanchez puller her hair to one side, cocking a shoulder. 'F_iine_. But if you ditch me you owe me _two_ burgers.' She said, her playful grin tugging at her lips as they usually did. She gave that flirtatious wave before heading down to her classroom. Dash, luckily, had two free periods in a row and was heading toward the library where he could nap.

'Baxter!'

His head shot up. Tetslaff was making her way toward him, a determined look on her face.

'Ahhh, Baxter!' She clapped his shoulder, following it with a light squeeze. 'I need a senior to look over the freshmen this period. Can I ask you to do that?'

Out of all of the teachers, Tetslaff was the toughest. If _she_ was asking a favour from a senior student, it was probably serious. Dash nodded. 'I've got free period so I can manage that. what is it gonna be, dodgeball?'

She beamed at him.

'Ahh, well, I'm only going to have them run laps, but if there's any opposition to that, then dodgeball's fine by me.' Tetslaff clapped his shoulder. 'I'm sorry to ask you like that, but I have an appointment that I can't miss today.'

'No, no don't be sorry Ms. Tetslaff.'

'I appreciate it kid.'

She gave him one of those looks before walking down the hall, leaving Dash.

It couldn't be that bad, watching freshmen run.

* * *

Danny cursed himself as he changed into his gym clothes. Having missed so many periods of gym during his freshman and sophomore year ( at least _half of_ sophomore year), he ended up making up for those periods during senior year.

If it weren't for his parents installing the anti ghost shields, he wouldn't even be able to make _up_ the periods this year.

Slamming his locker shut, he walked over and out of the locker room and into the gymnasium. Being the only senior amongst freshmen wasn't bad, but it _was_ a little embarrassing.

A whistle blew, snapping everyone's attention to the front.

Danny felt his heart drop a little.

What was _Dash_ doing here? It was usually Tetslaff barking orders at him.

'Tetslaff isn't going to be here today.' The blonde barked. Freshmen murmured. 'She wanted you to run laps today-' A collective groan. 'But, I'm okay with just letting you guys do stretches and a casual game of dodgeball.' He said, stance wide and brows furrowed, surveying the crowd.

'Those who want to run laps, raise your hands!'

Not very many students.

'Alright, stretching and dodgeball! Raise your hands!'

Ah, nearly the entire crowd.

The blonde gave a slight smirk. 'Alright, get into pairs and start your basic stretches!'.

It was immediate - friends paired up with each other, sitting on the gymnasium floor with arms and legs stretched out, 1 - 2 - 3 's. Danny was left standing on the side, alone, like an idiot.

That's when their eyes caught.

Danny could feel his palms get clammy, throat tighten a little. Dash was making his way toward him.

'No one to pair up with Fenton?'

There was that mocking tone to his voice. Danny scoffed. 'I'm only here for make-up gym, what do you expect.'

Danny could hear the other scratch his head. 'Fine, I'll help you stretch.'

He snapped his head towards Dash. 'Wh, no, wait what?' It all came out in sputters. Dash quirked an eyebrow at him.

'What? You expect me to let you breeze by in 'make-up' gym and lie to Tetslaff? Yeah right.' Dash crossed his arms. 'On the floor now Fenton, legs stretched and arms out.'

He really had no luck today.

Doing as he was told, Danny sat himself down with his legs sprawled outward. Despite his ghost fighting, he was relatively inflexible.

A shudder wracked through him when he felt Dash's hands plant themselves on the base of his back; gently and slowly moving their way up toward his neck. All the while, gingerly pushing him forward.

'God you're so _thin_.' Dash said in a quiet voice.

His thumbs gently pressed against the muscles along the spine, and Dash could feel the other teen tense up under his touch.

'Fenton, you're not going to be able to stretch right if you keep tensing up like that. Take a few breaths and you'll be fine.' The blonde said, annoyance in his voice. Dash hadn't meant for any aggression, not really, but after the words fell from his mouth he could see the other teen recoil a bit.

'Hey, c'mon. Just, like... try to let the tension in your shoulders drop.' He said. Danny had slightly relaxed, and the blonde was able to grip the thinner teen. He slowly dragged his palm down against his backside before pushing them back up, fingers curling around Danny's neck.

'Stay here'. His voice was low. But in a moment, Dash had gotten up, blowing the whistle.

'Two groups! Now!'

The freshmen who were taking it easy and stretching quickly got up, a slight mess as to determine who was on which side. Dash motioned for someone to come forward, lo' and behol' it was Mikey.

'Hey, Mikey, keep an eye on these runts- I want a word with Fentoad.' Dash said, hand on his shoulder while the other pointed at Danny with his thumb. The shorter redhead nodded.

'Hey, thanks I owe you one.' The blonde said. 'I'll buy you, uh, a coffee? Just let me know.'

Mikey looked a little bewildered, but in that moment Dash blew his whistle. 'Whoever wins two rounds out of three doesn't have to run laps!'

Immediately an intense game of dodgeball began.

* * *

Thank you for reading.


End file.
